Ready to defend every inch of motherland: COAS

Gen Asim says armed forces are ever ready to take fight back to enemy

RAWALPINDI:

The new army chief on Saturday said the military was ready to defend "every inch of our motherland" if attacked, during a visit to the Line of Control (LoC).

The visit came less than a week since General Asim Munir took charge as the 17th army chief of Pakistan at a ceremony held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on November 29.

The change of command ceremony took place after a gap of six years, as General Qamar Javed Bajwa, now retired, was given a three-year extension in 2019.

According to the military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief interacted with officers and soldiers and appreciated their high morale, professional competence and combat readiness while performing their duties in challenging conditions.

"We have noticed highly irresponsible statements from Indian leadership on G-B & AJK recently. Let me make it categorically clear, Pakistan's armed forces are ever ready, not only to defend every inch of our motherland, but to take the fight back to the enemy, if ever, war is imposed on us," the COAS emphasised.

Read more: COAS visits LoC, reviews operational readiness of troops

General Asim said that any misconception resulting in a misadventure will always be met with the full might of the armed forces backed by a resilient nation.

Chief of Army Staff(COAS) General Asim Munir has visited LOC 🇵🇰 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/fukshqclI3

— Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) December 3, 2022

"Indian state will never be able to achieve her nefarious designs. The world must ensure justice and deliver what is promised to the Kashmiri people as per the UN resolutions," the army chief concluded.

Earlier on arrival, Corps Commander Rawalpindi Lieutenant General Shahid Imtiaz received the COAS.

The statement comes in response to India's Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi’s remarks he had made last month that the Indian Army was "always ready to make sure that ceasefire understanding is never broken as it is in the interest of both nations, but if broken at any time, we will give them a befitting reply".

He added that the Indian military was ready to execute the government's orders, such as, taking back AJK, according to the Indian media.

"As far as the Indian Army is concerned, it will carry out any order given by the government of India. Whenever such orders are given, we will always be ready for it," Lt Gen Dwivedi was quoted as saying.

He further levelled allegations related to terrorism against Pakistan.